Bitcoin has risen above $64,600 after U.S. President Donald Trump stated Washington is just not holding talks with Iran, whereas conflicting claims over the Strait of Hormuz saved oil above $91 per barrel.
In an Aug. 18 Fact Social publish, Trump stated america and Iran weren’t holding discussions and had no negotiations scheduled, contradicting current studies that diplomatic contacts might produce one other short-term settlement.
“The Naval Blockade stays in full drive and impact. The Hormuz Strait is open and working,” Trump wrote.
The president additionally stated all water mines within the strait had been eliminated or detonated. Iran disputed his account, with chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf saying Tehran would preserve the waterway closed till america fulfilled situations contained in a June interim settlement, in line with Reuters.
Based on Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Tehran’s situations embrace lifting the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, eradicating oil sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian property, and ending U.S. navy threats and operations. The memorandum, signed on June 17, established a 60-day interval for negotiations towards a broader settlement that would come with Iran’s nuclear program.
Its negotiating window has now expired with out an extension.
Trump says Hormuz is open as Iran rejects the declare
Trump’s account of regular operations within the Strait of Hormuz stays at odds with delivery exercise and statements from Tehran.
Though some vessels proceed to go via the route, Reuters reported restricted visitors and a current incident by which a ship was struck by an unidentified projectile. Knowledge cited by Fox Information confirmed 28 confirmed crossings from Friday via Sunday, in contrast with a mean of about 130 ships per day earlier than the battle started in February.
Iranian officers have stated passage will stay restricted till Washington honors the June settlement. Trump, nonetheless, stated on Aug. 17 that Iran needed a deal however wouldn’t settle for the phrases he thought of crucial.
The dispute adopted an earlier Fact Social publish by which Trump shared a map labeling the strait as “New U.S. Territory.” Iran rejected the territorial declare, whereas Trump maintained that U.S. naval forces managed the passage.
U.S. and Israeli forces launched assaults on Iran in late February, beginning a battle that’s approaching its sixth month. Based on Reuters, Tehran adopted what one senior official described as a “absolutely offensive” place on Aug. 17 after diplomacy failed to supply one other settlement.
No new main Iranian assault had been reported instantly after the assertion.
The Strait of Hormuz carried roughly one-fifth of world oil and liquefied pure gasoline provides earlier than the battle. Any sustained restriction due to this fact impacts crude availability, delivery prices, and power costs paid by American households and companies.
Bitcoin value recovers whereas oil stays above $91
Bitcoin ($BTC) was buying and selling at $64,611 on the time of writing, up about 0.6% from its earlier shut. The cryptocurrency had moved between an intraday low of $64,005 and a excessive of $64,926, putting the psychological $65,000 stage inside attain.
The advance got here whilst oil costs elevated for a 3rd consecutive session. Reuters reported that Brent crude rose 0.7% to $91.46 per barrel, whereas U.S. West Texas Intermediate gained 0.9% to $85.25.
Earlier in August, Bitcoin confronted draw back stress when assaults on tankers close to Hormuz lifted power costs and strengthened demand for the U.S. greenback. $BTC fell as little as $62,466 on July 31 after failing to carry above $65,000, whereas its four-hour chart positioned the $62,000–$63,000 space on the heart of the market’s subsequent transfer.
The present restoration has introduced Bitcoin again towards the identical resistance area. A sustained break above $65,000 has not but occurred, with Tuesday’s excessive stopping at $64,926.
For U.S. traders, the oil transfer issues as a result of greater gasoline and transport prices can feed into inflation knowledge. Federal Reserve officers take into account inflation when deciding rates of interest, whereas elevated borrowing prices can cut back investor demand for property resembling Bitcoin and expertise shares.
U.S. equities remained below stress throughout Tuesday’s session. The Nasdaq Composite fell about 1.4%, the S&P 500 misplaced 0.6%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Common slipped 0.1%, in line with The Wall Road Journal. The publication additionally reported that the 10-year Treasury yield reached 4.72%, whereas the 30-year yield climbed to five.33%, its highest stage since 2007.
Technique pauses Bitcoin gross sales after two weeks
Bitcoin additionally obtained aid from the absence of one other sale by Technique, the biggest publicly traded company holder of the asset.
Based on an Aug. 17 submitting with the U.S. Securities and Trade Fee, Technique made no Bitcoin purchases or gross sales between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16. Its holdings remained unchanged at 840,447 $BTC, acquired for an mixture $63.36 billion at a mean value of $75,385 per coin.
As crypto.information reported on Monday, the corporate raised $333.7 million by promoting 3.46 million widespread shares throughout the week however didn’t use the proceeds to accumulate extra Bitcoin.
Technique’s submitting ended two consecutive weeks of $BTC disposals. In the course of the earlier week, the corporate bought 1,690 $BTC for about $108.6 million after promoting roughly $105 million of Bitcoin one week earlier.
As a result of Technique trades on the Nasdaq below the MSTR ticker, its Bitcoin selections have an effect on U.S. shareholders who use the inventory as an oblique type of crypto publicity. The corporate’s newest submitting additionally confirmed that its common Bitcoin buy value remained above $BTC’s present market worth.
Technique used its current financing exercise to extend its U.S. greenback reserves and repurchase most popular shares. Its Aug. 17 submitting stated the corporate purchased again about $132.2 million of STRC most popular inventory throughout the week.
White Home assembly places U.S. crypto guidelines in focus
Washington’s digital-asset coverage calendar has provided one other focal point for Bitcoin merchants.
A White Home assembly scheduled for Aug. 19 is predicted to incorporate representatives from Coinbase, Ripple, a16z, Chainlink, Paradigm, Kalshi, and the Digital Chamber. SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Chair Michael Selig are additionally anticipated to take part, in line with folks accustomed to the plans.
The administration had not printed a proper agenda or confirmed the ultimate participant listing on the time of reporting. Trump’s attendance had additionally not been formally introduced, though Semafor reported that he was anticipated to participate.
The White Home gathering comes because the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act stays stalled within the Senate. The laws would divide federal oversight of digital property between the SEC and CFTC, putting qualifying digital commodity spot markets below the CFTC whereas preserving crypto securities throughout the SEC’s authority.
The Home handed its model in July 2025 by a 294–134 vote. Senate progress has slowed over disagreements involving authorities ethics, decentralized finance, stablecoin rewards, and monetary crime controls.
Polymarket merchants positioned the invoice’s probability of turning into regulation in 2026 at about 20% on Aug. 17, down from greater than 80% earlier within the yr. Individually, the platform’s odds of no less than one Federal Reserve charge enhance in 2026 fell to 49% from a current stage above 60%.
Earlier in August, rate-hike odds reached 64% after Federal Reserve Financial institution of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari warned that inflation remained too excessive. The Federal Reserve held its goal vary at 3.50%–3.75% in July, when three officers supported a quarter-point enhance.
